Top 16 Feature Skyler Hopkins vs. Dalton Bousman

The top cut of ARGs Circuit stop in St. Louis promises to pit the most skilled players against one another. This Top 16 match is a demonstration of that claim. We have Dalton Boussman, a player who topped Nationals last year, and has tops including one from YCS Indy in 2011. His opponent is Dalton Cousman, an upcoming player who asserts that while this may be the first event he has topped, it will not be the last.

Game 1

Dalton wins the Die roll and chooses to go first.

Dalton begins the match by drawing his 6th card, setting two cards, and ending his turn.

Skyler draws Book of Moon adding it to his hand of Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Boar, Pot of Duality, Mystical Space Typhoon, Fire Formation-Tenki and Bottomless Trap Hole. He starts by activating Tenki, but Dalton chains a set Mystical Space Typhoon of his own. Next Skyler activates Pot of Duality revealing Fiendish Chain, Maxx C, and another Pot of Duality. He selects Fiendish Chain to add to his hand and shuffles the other two into his deck. He then uses his Mystical Space Typhoon to blow away Dalton’s set Mirror Force, summons Boar and attacks for 1100 points of damage. He finishes his turn by setting the remainder of his hand and ending his turn.

Skyler 8000- Dalton 6900

Skyler Activate Spellbook Library of the Crescent revealing Spellbook of Secrets, Spellbook of the Master and after a quick check of his hand Grand Spellbook Tower. He shuffles up the cards and Tyler selects the one in the center to be added to Dalton’s hand. Dalton sets a monster and after much deliberation, he ends his turn.

Skyler draws Thunder King Rai-Oh, he normal summons it and uses it to attack and destroy Dalton’s set Maxx C. Boar follows up with another 1100 points of damage to Dalton’s life points and Skyler ends his Turn.

Skyler 8000-Dalton 5800

Dalron draws now holding 5 cards in his hand and passes the turn.

Sklyer draws another Pot of Duality. He enters his battle phase and deals another 3000 damage with his two monsters. He ends his turn.

Dalton draws for turn, adds his hand to his deck and concedes game 1

Sklyer’s stun strategy and lockdown with a critical Thunder King Rai-Oh is able to lock out Dalton from key aspects of his prophecy strategy. Both players side and go on to game 2.

Dalton opts to go first again. For his turn he draws, shakes his head, sets two cards and does some thinking before ending the turn.

Skyler opens two copies of Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Bear, Duality, Mystical Space Typhoon, Imperial Iron Wall and Gozen Match. He normal summons Bear, and attacks. Skyler muses over his set cards before deciding to activate Mirror Force. In his main phase two, Skyler activates Mystical Space Typhoon destroying Dalton’s other facedown, his own Mystical Space Typhoon! Skyler clear of any set spell/trap threats, uses Pot of Duality revealing Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, Dark Hole and Fire Formation-Tensu. He chooses Tensu and shuffles the others into his deck. He activates the Tensu, and uses it to normal summon his second Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Bear. He then sets the rest of his hand and ends his turn.

Dalton draws and summon Kykoo the Ghost Destroyer, he attacks over Bear for 100 points of damage, and ends his turn.

Skyler 7900- Dalton 8000

Skyler Draws a Fossil Dyna Pacycephalo, sets it and passes

Dalton draws activates Spellbook of Secrets searching Spellbook of the Master. Next, he activates Master revealing Spellbook of Fate to copy Secrets using the effect of Secrets to search Spellbook of Wisdom. On the resolution of Master, Skyler activates Imperial Iron Wall. Dalton appeared stunned. After thinking about the situation, he decides to chain Spellbook of Fate from his hand in response to Imperial Iron Wall banishing Secrets as the cost to return Skyler’s set Gozen Match to its owner’s hand. Dalton then summons Temperance of Prophecy and uses its effect to tribute itself to summon World of Prophecy from his deck. World’s effect returns the Spellbooks of The Master and Fate from his graveyard to his hand. He inquires to the effect of Fire Fist boar, which his opponent honestly answers, before he uses World of Prophecy to attack. Skyler reveals his set Fossil Dyna and its effect Destroys World. Dalton

World of Prophecy arrives on the field, Adding to Dalton's advantageous situation by adding more Spellbooks to his hand

does not attack with Kykoo, but sets a card to his spell/trap zone before ending his turn.

Skyler draws Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Bear. He uses its effect to destroy Kykoo by sending his Fire Formation Tensu from the field to the graveyard. He then attacks for 1600 points of damage with Bear and uses its second effect to set Fire Formation-Tenki from his deck. In his main phase two Skyler activates his searched Tenki to search Coach Solider Wolfbark. He re-sets his Gozen Match and ends his turn.

Dalton draws. He sets a monster and plays spellbook tower before passing the turn.

Skyler draws Solemn Warning for his turn. He uses Bear to destroy Dalton’s set Temperance of Prophecy by “launching”

his Fire Formation Tenki. Furthermore, he summons Wolfbark and uses its effect to recur the Bear which was in his graveyard. Considering his plays, Skyler looks through his extra deck. He ultimately descides to Overlays the Wolfbark, and the bear which had just been summoned by Wolfbarks effect to XYZ summon BrotherHood of the Fire Fist- Tiger King,. Tiger King sets Skyler’s second copy from the deck. However, it doesn’t remain set for long as Skyler activates it searching for another Coach Soilder Wolfbark. In his battle phase bear does 1700 points of damage with Bear and continues with Tiger King inflicting another 2300 points of damage (He did not use Bears effect because he had sided out his remaining Fire Formation cards) He sets the Solemn Warning and ends his turn.

Sklyer 7900- Dalton 2400

Dalton draws to hold 4 cards in his hand. With no Spellbook in his graveyard he cannot make use of Grand Spellbook Tower. His plays start by activating Spellbook of Eternity to add his banished Spellbook of Secrets to his hand. He searches Spellbook Magician of Prophecy, and when Dalton responds to the summon with Solemn Warning Dalton concedes the match

Brotherhood of the Fire Fist Bear allows Skyler to expand his plays.

We grabbed an interview with Skyler after the Match.

Skyler, what made you decide to play firefist?

“I’m just a fan of fire fist”

What Deck were you most prepared for?

Dragons, I have prepared by maindecking Fossil Dyna, Imperial Iron Wall and Thunder King Rai-Oh.Were you expecting to play prophecy?

“Honestly I was not”

What was going to your mind when your top 16 opponent started toolboxing his Spellbooks?

“I hope I draw thunder king” (when a teammate asked how he felt he said “When I drew it I felt like I was walking into a Krispy Cream Donut Shop”)

What is your opinion on the new bannlist?

I get a third tenki I love this bannlist

Did you feel they missed anything?

“Well they definitely didn’t miss Dragons!”

If you win today, what are you going to do with the prize money?

“I haven’t decided yet “

Shoutouts:

“Team Magical Hats”

His teammates who surrounded Skyler to congratulate him after his victory, say their team will have many additional tops to come.